15 minutes to hearty vegetarian side dish greatness… when you indulge in today’s super-easy Sauteed Cheddar Chickpeas & Zucchini recipe!
Easy, flavorful side dishes come to your weeknight dinner rescue, and Sauteed Cheddar Chickpeas & Zucchini fit that bill nicely. Simple ingredients, hearty goodness, and super quick — what more could you ask for, really? Try this one when fresh summer zucchini are in season, as a quick way to use up some of your garden harvest this year.
I just threw this zucchini chickpea side dish together today with some ingredients I had on hand, as I’m trying to clear out some older canned goods and had one sad little zucchini left over from an earlier recipe. It turned out so very well (and so very easy), though, that this one is definitely going in my regular side dish rotation.
Since it’s so nicely filling, cheddar chickpeas & zucchini would also work well as a vegetarian lunch idea — or, just snack away on it while you’re typing, like I’m doing right now!
Sauteed Cheddar Chickpeas & Zucchini
Ingredients
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp butter
1 medium zucchini (about 10 oz), thinly sliced
1/4 of a medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed & drained
1.5 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne
Sea salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste
1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar
Directions
Cut off & discard the ends of the zucchini, then slice it thinly. Thinly slice the onion, and mince the garlic if you’re not using pre-minced.
Heat the oil and butter together in a 12″ cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until butter is melted, then swirl to coat the pan.
Add the zucchini and onion. Brown veggies over medium-high heat for five minutes, stirring occasionally.
While the veggies are browning, drain and rinse the chickpeas.
Stir the chickpeas, garlic, and seasonings into the pan.
Continue to cook over medium-high heat for five more minutes, or until zucchini is nicely softened, stirring occasionally.
Stir in the cheese until just melted. Serve hot and enjoy!
Note: The cayenne adds a welcome little kick to this recipe, but if you are sensitive to heat you can omit or cut down.
15 minutes to hearty side dish deliciousness
So much to savor from the warm spices & garlic here! Enjoy today’s cheesy chickpeas & zucchini dish either as a hearty side dish for four, or as a vegetarian lunch for two. The soft, browned zucchini plays well against the nutty chewiness of the chickpeas, while the cheese bumps up the overall flavor and ties everything together.
This flavorful, hearty side dish would work well along with so many mains — from a simple roast chicken to a veggie panini. Or, try throwing it on top of cooked rice along with other veggies of choice to create a full meal.
More zucchini recipes
Almost never does one have but a single zucchini, right? Especially in summer, when in gardens they do grow. Here are a few more zucchini recipes to help you make the most of some of that summer veggie bounty.
- Naan pizza with pesto, zucchini, & tomatoes
- Sauteed everything bagel zucchini with Parmesan
- Zucchini Spanish rice burrito bowls with chicken + mushrooms
- Ground turkey & zucchini pesto pasta skillet
- Smoky Parmesan chicken tenders & veggies
- Smoked sausage & veggies skillet
- Italian chicken thighs with zucchini & red potatoes
- Summer squash + tomato frittata
Such a versatile vegetable; delicious in so many different ways!
Sauteed Cheddar Chickpeas & Zucchini, printable recipe
Sauteed Cheddar Chickpeas & Zucchini
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 Tbsp butter
- 1 medium zucchini (about 10 oz), thinly sliced
- 1/4 of a medium yellow onion thinly sliced
- 1 can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed & drained
- 1.5 tsp minced garlic
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/4 tsp cayenne
- Sea salt to taste
- Black pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar
Instructions
- Cut off & discard the ends of the zucchini, then slice it thinly. Thinly slice the onion, and mince the garlic if you’re not using pre-minced.
- Heat the oil and butter together in a 12″ cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until butter is melted, then swirl to coat the pan.
- Add the zucchini and onion. Brown veggies over medium-high heat for five minutes, stirring occasionally.
- While the veggies are browning, drain and rinse the chickpeas.
- Stir the chickpeas, garlic, and seasonings into the pan.
- Continue to cook over medium-high heat for five more minutes, or until zucchini is nicely softened, stirring occasionally.
- Stir in the cheese until just melted. Serve hot and enjoy!
Notes
Recipes in the real world
Be sure not to miss the free ALDI meal plans, which show you how to use these easy family recipes to meal plan affordably and realistically for your family. Or, find more recipe ideas with the Recipe Search!
